This is everything I wore and carried in the final days on the PCT. I’m surprised by how much there is. Yasmin carried most of the food, cups, spoons and matches, with her own camping gear, water and clothing. My gear list is as follows:

2 map cases and maps – one to hang around my neck, the other in my pack

Bear bell

Head torch

Reading glasses

Sun hat

Thermal hat

Gloves

Flip flops

Nike trainers (not in the picture)

If I were to do it again I would make the following changes:

Have a 3 season sleeping bag, not a 2, and with a good compression sack

Take a more minimalist tarp tent supported with walking sticks

Carry walking sticks

2 pairs of socks only

Resupply the next set of paper maps with our food and not carry them in advance

Change the water filter to a Sawyer

Ditch the 2 litre water bag and carry just the 4 litre

Ditch the bear bell (we thought we needed them)

Ditch the Trangia pot and lid and basic gas ring and replace with a Jetboil system

Ditch the flip fops and replace with an Acrossports plastic slipper – lighter and easier to get on and off

Ditch the matches and rely on the lighter

Ditch the under pants and long johns – no need for them with a warmer bag

Ditch the second map case – no need for it with the new maps in the resupply boxes

When we finished we were carrying lots of warm weather gear including the extra layers and gloves we had to pickup on the way as the weather became increasingly colder and wintery. These clothes – the puffa jacket, base layer and long johns – we’d originally posted off the trail as we hit successive heatwaves heading south, only later to have them reposted out to us. This worked well and kept our load lighter for longer. Likewise with the bear canisters which we only needed as we headed into Yosemite and the Sierras.

Before the early morning bus ride from Mammoth Lake to Lancaster and the train journey onwards to Los Angeles Union Station. We then walked up the hill in downtown to Disney Hall to meet my sister Sophie. A wonderful moment.

We’ve reached Mammoth Lake and completed our through section hike from Cascade Locks at the top of Oregon to central California. Emotions of extreme tiredness, sadness and euphoria at completing what we’d set out to do pervade every non-hiking moment as we decompress before returning to LA.

Stats update with previous figures in brackets and new categories in italics:

From a few days ago as we walked into Tuolumne Meadows. Seated is ‘Maple’ who is another SOBO (southbound) hiker we keep crossing and meeting as we travel along.

On this day we’ve just caught up with him and ‘Charlemagne’ and his Dad, Colin, standing behind us who’s re-supplying food to him at this sunny early morning stop. It’s cold though. We’d just walked 5 miles and our water bottles froze.

Colin is a truly awesome Dad and he walked with us for a couple of hours up Lyell Canyon as we headed towards Donohue Pass.

The sun belies how cold it is and how high up we are as we break camp on our last hiking day at 10,073ft after crossing Donohue Pass yesterday at 11,073ft, our highest point on this section of our trail.